Feb. 20, 2014

Judge William J. Haynes Jr. in 1999

Written by

Mamie Nash

The Tennessean

Chief U.S. District Judge William J. Haynes Jr. has sent a letter to President Barack Obama informing him of his intention to take senior status Dec. 1, pending confirmation of his successor.

Haynes, 64, the first African-American federal judge in Middle Tennessee, confirmed his intention to take senior status but declined to comment further.

In his letter to Obama, Haynes said it was a high honor to serve in the position and to serve the Middle Tennessee community.

A copy of the letter also was sent to Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, as well as U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper. Cooper’s office in Washington, D.C., confirmed that it had received the letter.

Senior status would allow Haynes the freedom of a semi-retirement, creating a lighter workload and allowing him to pick and choose the cases over which he will preside. He will meet the requirements of being 65 years old and having served 15 years office to be eligible for senior status in December.

Haynes is one of four U.S. district judges in the Middle District of Tennessee. He filled the position after it was vacated by U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Higgins, who took senior status in 1999.

Known to his friends and colleagues as “Joe,” Haynes became chief judge in August 2012, succeeding U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell. Upon his assumption of senior status, he is scheduled to be succeeded by U.S. District Judge Kevin Sharp.

A Vanderbilt Law grad

Born in Memphis in September 1949, Haynes graduated from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., with a bachelor of arts degree in political science and history in 1970. In 1973, he graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law.

Haynes was twice recommended for a vacancy on the Tennessee Court of Appeals by the Tennessee Appellate Court Nominating Commission in the 1980s before being appointed as magistrate judge for the Middle District of Tennessee in December 1984. He has authored several decisions for the Sixth Circuit.

A lecturer in law at Vanderbilt for several years, Haynes has authored multiple published works, including “State Antitrust Laws,” a survey of the antitrust laws of the 50 states and territories, and a play titled “Original Intent.” He also has written about the civil rights movement.